


Wrong Place, Wrong Time

by reijeux



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2018-03-21 23:59:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3707961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reijeux/pseuds/reijeux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All he wanted was to buy snacks at the 7/11 so he'd have something to munch on while he studied. Taking a shortcut proved to be a terrible decision as Eirik witnesses a gang-related murder.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wrong Place, Wrong Time

**Author's Note:**

> All of this is BS, I'm just satisfying my shameless potential cliché shoujo manga/k-drama plotline needs, don't take it seriously, thank. Also, there are like a billion grammar mistakes, sorry. 
> 
> Also, this isn't really "complete" story-wise??? I never intended to give it a proper ending- if anything it is just one big prompt inspired by the prompt word "mafia." So if anyone would like to continue it, please be my guest! And let me know so I can read it haha

-0-

Just how exactly was he going to explain this situation to his brother if he made it back home alive? Fantastic, he could hear him now:

“What did I say about going out late at night? What did I say? Don’t do it. Just don’t. And what did you do? You went out late at night. _By yourself_. _Now_ look at what happened. You _had_ to witness a murder and get _caught_. Are you proud of yourself? Do you enjoy being disobedient? We did not come to America for _this_ , Eirikur, and now you’re becoming someone I did _not_ raise--”

…Then again, he’d be better off never going back home again.

However, his brother’s nagging was only a minor concern—in all honesty, he was still pretty rattled from actually seeing someone get shot multiple times by an obvious gang. Now he was sat with his wrists bound in a dimly lit room, listening to people outside having a discussion in a language he didn’t know, _and_ they took his wallet. Why did he take that shortcut to 7/11?

Eirik was in the process of planning out his “Grand Escape” (involving kicking down the door and ramming into everyone in his way—his lack of needed body mass would be an issue, but he could still work with it) when the door opened, and he counted five men in black suits entering—four of them following the main.

Eirik opened his mouth to speak—to talk about how he couldn’t die now, he has a big test he really needs to get to in the morning, and the only reason why he went out in the first place was because he had the Nervous Munchies, and really, he could care less if someone died, no no no, he did care, but see, he just has other priorities, he won’t tell the cops, he _promises_ —

But he choked and said nothing.

The supposed leader (who honestly looked like he belonged in high school) walked closer to him and crouched. Eirik couldn’t help but swallow, not enjoying the _staring_ he was earning.

“Quiet, are we? Not gonna plead for your life?”

When Eirik responded, his voice was small, “…won’t tell anyone…” This response earned an actual chuckle from the other, who straightened up and looked down on him.

“You think that’s really going to work? People make promises like that all the time. We’d be better off killing you now so we won’t need to worry about you opening your mouth later.”

 _Shit_ , he was going to die right here, right now. Oh _God_ , oh God, oh shit, oh God. Eirik’s mind raced, suddenly reminded of that one foreign film that a family friend sat them all down to watch when he was going through his temporary Triad phase. _Oh God_ , were these guys going to stick him into a meat grinder and feed him to dogs to make a point to any other prisoners they might have?

_Oh God, oh shit, oh no, oh Tino, why did you have to show us that movie, why, oh god—_

“So, let’s make a deal.”

_Oh God, oh shit, oh—what?_

“You seem like a pretty honest guy. We’ll take your word and let you go. _But_ we _will_ find out if you tell anyone, hm?” The leader pinched his cheek before giving it a quick pat. “Then we’ll deal with you and whoever you told _properly._ ”

It was three in the morning when he made it back home and snuck into his room. He did not get the snacks he needed for his Nervous Munchies, nor was he able to finish studying for his test.

Eirik was too rattled by what had just happened to him to even get any sleep.

From the looks of things, if he failed his test, he really had no way to explain it to his brother without getting the both of them killed. Lying was out of the question; he was terrible at making up stories, and his brother knew all of his tells.

-1-

Thank the heavens, he knew he at least passed that damn test and could rest easy. Everything that had happened the night before felt so surreal, but Eirik figured that was his sleep-deprived brain’s doing. In fact, even if he had gotten sleep, those events would still have felt like a dream.

However, as tired as he was, he was still afraid to even nap now that he didn’t need to worry about the test anymore.

What if he never woke up again because they’d find him and kill him? What if he dreamt about that man who was completely riddled with bullet holes? He spent the last twelve hours trying to place his focus on everything he could to _forget_ that image. It _haunted_ him.

Just who was that man, and why was he murdered in such a manner? Was he even important? It was too dark to tell.

 _What if_ he told the police anyway? Could he even get away with it?

To try and keep himself awake for at least a few more hours around people until he could brave going home and being alone, Eirik bought himself a coffee at a shop and sat himself at a table. He spent a couple minutes rubbing his face and checking his phone for texts—the latest was from his brother, who just wanted to let him know he’d be late coming home from work and should eat without him.

As minutes passed, his eyes drooped shut, and he didn’t even realize he had fallen asleep until a horrifyingly familiar voice snapped him from his thoughts.

“Sleeping like this out in the open? You’re more brave than I thought.”

Eirik’s eyes snapped open and he saw the leader who spoke to him from the night before sitting in the seat across from him, dress shirt unbuttoned and tie loosened, looking clearly amused.

“What—what are you doing here?” He nearly knocked over his coffee in shock.

The leader chuckled, “Just keeping you in check. Though, I don’t necessarily need to speak to you in person to know whether or not you’ve been good.”

“You mean you’ve been _spying on me_?”

“How else would we know if you broke your promise?”

“Y-yeah, but that’s taking it too far…!” How long have they been watching him? Did they know where he lived now? Did they even know about his brother and where he worked?

“Calm down, we’re only _watching_ you, it’s not like we’re going to mug you or anything.”

“There’s more to it than that!”

“It’d do you some good to keep your voice down, hm?” The leader said calmly, a hint of seriousness laced his voice. “Since we’re going to spend _so much time_ together, how about we introduce ourselves? Call me Leon.”

Eirik clutched his coffee cup, “Isn’t it a bad idea for you to give me your name like that?” The leader relaxed in his chair, crossing one leg over the other.

“It’s nothing but an alias, so I’m not too worried.”

“So you thought ahead.”

“Of course. I may be young, but I’m not stupid.”

This brought up another question, “Yeah, about that, how did you even become _leader_ of those guys?”

Leon’s eyebrows raised, “ _Leader_? _Me_? You really think that?” Eirik frowned, noting how he took it as a compliment.

“You mean you’re not?”

“Of course not. My uncle’s the big guy. He’s been showing me the ropes and needed me to take the reins for a couple days.”

This kid? With the responsibility of a _gang_?

“What about school?”

“What’s with all the questions?  I already graduated.”

Eirik stared at him, “Wait, you’re _not_ in high school?”

“I’m nineteen. Why are you so shocked?”

They’re the same age. This young punk is his age.

As if reading his mind, an amused smirk graced Leon’s lips; however, before he could say anything else, his phone went off.

“Mmm, looks like I gotta go,” Leon sighed, standing after he checked the message. “See ya, Eirik.”

With that, he was gone, leaving the college student once again alone at his table. He stewed on the meeting that just happened, taking sips from his now lukewarm coffee before a terrible feeling sunk down from his chest and into his stomach. As if he didn’t already feel sick enough.

Eirik never told him his name.

-2-

Relief flooded Eirik’s very soul when he heard Lukas call an “I’m home” from the front door, so much that he forgot to respond. The hallway floor outside his room creaked as the older man came to check on him—opening his door without knocking was something Eirik frequently expected.

“Ah, you’re here,” his brother simply spoke, before an eyebrow raised. Eirik saw him look around the dark room, lit only by his computer light.

“Do you need a new lightbulb?”

“No, I’m good.”

Lukas touched the light switch, “Well, it’s not good if you sit in the dark like this, so--” Before he could flip it, Eirik panicked.

“No!”

His brother looked at him, “No?”

“N-no, I’m going to bed soon anyway.” Also _they’re still watching_ , so how about none of the lights are ever turned on in the house ever again. Because maybe they’ll get bored and stop watching. Somehow.

Earlier, when Eirik had gone home, he had checked the rooms for bugs, only to find none (and he _did_ search _every_ possible place he could). This both relieved and frightened him even more; how exactly were they watching and listening? Of course, this resulted in Eirik going through the entire house and shutting all the curtains.

Why, oh, why did he think taking that shortcut to the 7/11 was a good idea?

“Well, alright,” Lukas dropped his hand from the switch. “I’ll be going to bed in a bit myself. Night.”

“Night.”

Eirik let out a quiet breath as his brother shut the door, turning back to face his computer.

“One more thing--” Lukas came back in, tapping his own shoulder with an envelope before handing it over. “This was on the door. Secret admirer knows where you live. Let me know if I need to call the police.”

After the older man left him alone, Eirik stared at the envelope that now lay on his desk. It seemed like there was a card inside and _looked_ harmless. The only thing printed on the envelope was his name; there was no address whatsoever.

He was afraid of opening it. What if it was laced with a questionable substance? His brother handled it, so he might even have it on his hands as well. How was he going to explain this to him?!

Despite his paranoia, he (carefully) opened the envelope, pulling out the folded card but holding it away from himself at an arm’s length. The card was completely plain, with nothing written on the front or back. When he opened it, a simple note was written in pencil.

_Luese Café, 1:30PM tomorrow.  
Leon_

-3-

Eirik almost didn’t go to the café the following day. He feared for his life either way; maybe he should have just packed his bags and left the city as a third option. Lukas would be kept safe and Eirik could just live life on the run from whatever this gang was, and—

“I thought you weren’t going to come.” Eirik almost didn’t recognize him before Leon spoke up, standing from the table nearest to the door. Leon had on casual clothing as opposed to the suit he expected to see him in: an oversized red hoodie accessorized with large headphones around his neck and black _skinny jeans_.

“Almost didn’t.” Eirik could only respond. Leon chuckled, putting his hands in his hoodie pockets.

“Figured.”

“Why’d you want to meet up, anyway? Still wanted to _check up_ on me?”

“Nah.”

“ _Nah_?”

Leon shrugged, “Nah. My uncle’s back so I’m free for now. Thought we could hang out.”

“You invited me out using a very suspicious method that could have resulted in my brother calling the police.”

“Haha, yeah. Good thing he didn’t, huh?” Leon _grinned_ , patting Eirik’s back. “You haven’t eaten, right? Wanna eat here or somewhere else?”

He really could not believe what was happening. How could this guy be so… so _nonchalant_ about everything? Did he forget at all that Eirik was a _witness_ to a _murder_? Was he trying to lure him into a _trap_?

“…Listen, I don’t know what you really have in mind, but I just want to be left alone.” Before he could turn away, Leon stopped him.

“No, seriously, I don’t have _anything_ in mind, alright? I _seriously_ just want to hang out and let off some steam.”

Erik studied him for a moment. He didn’t _seem_ to be lying, but that’s how guys like these were, right? They were good at deceiving others.

…Right?

With a sigh, Eirik gave in, “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt _for now_. _But_ we are eating _here_.” _Where I know I’ll be safe._

Leon met his request with a smile (he looks nice when his smile reaches his eyes).

“Works for me.”

When they were almost finished eating, Leon’s phone went off and he checked the message. He was silent for a moment and Eirik watched him; it felt as if the mood around them changed completely by the time Leon put his phone away.

“…Are you okay?” Eirik partially didn’t care, but everything felt so awkward that he had to ask. Leon chuckled, keeping his gaze low while he picked up his drink and chewed on the straw.

“I’m fine.” He was messing with something in his hoodie pocket; probably his phone. Eirik couldn’t really help but notice.

“You don’t seem like it.”

“Hey, you wanna go into town or something? How about the arcade? I haven’t been to the arcade in ages.”

Eirik rolled his eyes, sitting up, “Sorry, but we’re not friends.”

“Ah—”

“I don’t know if you think of this as a game or whatever, and honestly, I don’t care.” He stood. “I seriously have felt gross since that night, and I just want to be left alone, alright? If you want somebody to be your pal, go find someone else. I’ve got things I need to do.”

Eirik walked out of the café without giving Leon a chance to speak.

He passed by the arcade as he went home. The sound of gunshots erupting from one of the machines made him freeze in his tracks, heart racing and knees weak.

Eirik nearly passed out before realizing he was not in any danger.

-4-

He received a text from an unknown number later in the night as he tried to distract himself with reading.

_‘We’re not watching u anymore if ur still worried abt that’_

Most likely from Leon, who definitely used whatever resources he could to get his number. It unsettled Eirik even more.

‘ _Sorry’_ was the second text that came in. Eirik was going to ignore it, when he received a third text.

‘ _Did everything i could to let u off the hook. Dont worry anymore’_

It wasn’t just _that_ that bothered him so much, though…!

‘ _Im sorry u were at the wrong place at the wrong time_ ’

Eirik had begun to cry.

‘ _Ill do everything in my power to keep u safe ok?’_

He couldn’t remember the last time he ever cried so hard.

Eirik was still terrified.

-5-

Months slowly passed, and as they passed, the memories of That Night haunted him less and less, and so did the fear. While he still got jumpy at sudden loud noises and avoided walking by that arcade again at all costs, he found himself… “getting better” about it. It seemed as though Leon really was telling the truth about getting that gang off his back—he hadn’t even seen _him_ since the café.

The lack of That Night hauntings were probably helped by the fact that he actually wrote it all down just to vent it _somehow_. Not on his computer, no, _never_ , but in a notebook. A notebook was most likely the safest way to go about venting without getting anyone in trouble, right?

He _did_ carry the thing _everywhere_ he went just in case his brother decided to go snooping around his room, as usual.

The secret was still with him and would be safe.

 _Right_?

Then why was Leon sitting at his spot in class when he walked in, looking _grim_?

Why was he whispering to him?

“Act natural,” he said. “Walk out. I will be leaving with you.”

“What?”

“ _Do it_.”

Eirik felt his legs were going to give out, but they didn’t. He obeyed, leaving the classroom and ignoring the curious eyes of the few classmates who arrived earlier, with Leon right behind him. As they made it into the hall, Leon broke into a stride beside him.

“My car’s outside.”

“What’s going on…”

“Is your notebook with you?”

 _How did he know_.

“…You said you called off all the spying.”

“I said a lot of things.”

“You--!!”

Leon snapped, “ _Is that fucking notebook with you_.”

“…Yeah…”

“Good.” They reached the doors and Leon walked in front of him, glancing around as if trying to find someone. “Follow me.”

Helpless, Eirik followed, “ _What’s_ going on?!”

“Keep your voice down.”

“ _Tell me_!”

They had reached the car and Leon opened the passenger door, swiftly pushing Eirik in. Eirik adjusted himself in his panic as Leon slammed the door, not seeing anyone else in the vehicle.

As Leon got into the driver’s seat, Eirik shoved at his arm.

“What’s going _on_?! Where are we going?!”

“You’re being targeted.” Leon simply responded, starting the car. “Your brother is currently being transported to a safe place as we speak.”

Just as he thought his world had been patched, it all crumbled down all over again. It was probably unfixable at this point.

“Turn off your phone so you don’t get tracked. We’re leaving town.”

Leon drove out of the parking lot, ignoring the onslaught of questions Eirik was throwing at him. As minutes passed and Eirik gradually grew unfamiliar with their surroundings, he grew even more fearful—he desperately hoped that this was all just a terrible dream that had come to haunt him one last time, but… he knew better.

Eirik eventually grew silent, continuing to watch the scenery change. The scenery was so different now, just a long road with barely any buildings on either side; they already passed the sign that stated which of the neighboring towns were x miles away. With the radio off, the quiet ride killed his nerves more than his nerves deserved.

Eventually, they stopped at a diner, located more-or-less halfway between the city and the nearest town. How anyone could deal working here with how far it seemed to be from any place that passed off as a neighborhood was beyond Eirik, but they most likely had good business thanks to semi-truck drivers.

Eirik couldn’t help but think about that sort of thing. He wanted to get _some_ sort of “normal” out of this situation.

They parked at the side of the diner and Leon stopped the car. He remained still for a moment, just staring blankly forward as if trying to figure something out.

“Leon—”

He wasn’t even able to blink before Leon suddenly pulled out a pistol. Eirik wanted to throw up from the new wave of terror that washed over him, hand automatically touching the door to open it.

He didn’t ask for this.

Eirik didn’t realize how shaky he had become until Leon locked gazes with him.

“I’m so sorry, Eirik.”

Leon tried handing the gun over, but even as confused as he was, he couldn’t take it. He hated guns.

“Eirik, take it. You’re going to need it.”

“ _Why_.” Eirik asked, still not touching the gun, “ _Why_ am I being targeted. Is this over my notebook?”

“Only I know about what you wrote down.”

“ _You_ were spying on me?” Eirik was too distressed at this point to realize Leon had put the gun in his coat pocket.

“I told you I’d keep you safe, didn’t I?” Leon looked at him. “You… you weren’t supposed to get out of any of that alive.”

Eirik’s throat tightened.

“When I said I called them all off… I told them I killed you. That they didn’t have to worry.”

“You said…”

“I was going to kill you that day.”

Eirik couldn’t hold it in any longer. He forced the door open and vomited.

-6-

“I’m sorry.”

 _Stop apologizing_. “Where did you take Lukas?”

“He’s been taken elsewhere by someone I trust. He’s not being targeted, though. I just made sure he wasn’t home when the guys open fire on your house.”

 _Oh God_.

Eirik buried his face in his hands. Leon didn’t give him any touches of comfort. He was grateful for that.

“How much does he know now…”

“At this point, everything.”

 _Fuck_.

“If I had stayed that day, you _really_ were going to kill me?”

“…I don’t know.”

Eirik looked at him, “What do you mean, you don’t know? You even said—”

“I was trying to buy as much time as possible, that’s all. I didn’t _want_ to.”

This was all just too much.

“I… I need to use the restroom.”

“It’s right inside. I’ll keep an eye out here.”

Eirik didn’t want to move from his spot alone—but if Leon assumed it would be safe for him to go inside on his own, then he _had_ to trust him, right?

…But he also deceived him before.

He was going to _kill_ him before.

Eirik couldn’t bring himself to move.

“Hey,” Leon’s voice had grown soft, “I _promise_ you’re safe.”

He still couldn’t go in alone.

“Please, just… come with me.”

Leon agreed to his request and went into the diner with him. Eirik walked straight into the restroom and locked the door. He spent a moment washing his face with warm water, but he didn’t feel any better. He washed his face with _cold_ water, and he still didn’t feel any better. He nearly cried.

Drying his face off, he felt a weight in his coat pocket and reached in. He had the gun.

Leon was waiting right outside the restroom by the time he stepped out. Eirik expected a “Feel better?” from him, but he said nothing.

Thank God.

“Ready to go?”

“Yeah…”

As they walked back out to the car, Eirik felt sick again; with each step he took, the dreadful feeling in his stomach grew. He didn’t want to get back into the car.

Leon opened the passenger door for him, being careful not to step in the vomit that Eirik had left earlier. Eirik was about to step in before Leon suddenly spoke up.

“Eirik, don’t move.”

“ _What_ —” Leon wasn’t looking at him, but something… _someone_ behind him, and he heard a _clicking_ sound.

He was going to end up like the man from That Night.

“Put it down, Kiku.”

The rest of their conversation went deaf to Eirik’s ears as he slowly moved his hand into his pocket, feeling the gun. He didn’t want to shoot it. He didn’t. Did Leon even have a spare? Whose head was the stranger aiming at?

He was going to do it.

With a swift turn, he aimed the gun at the stranger, or _Kiku_ , as he was referred to.

Eirik cocked the hammer, just like in the movies, right? Wait, how do you do this, was he doing this right, why was the trigger stuck— _The safety_ _was on_ , how—

Kiku, having jolted at Eirik’s sudden movement, shot.

Everything was happening at once, in _slow motion_ even, Eirik couldn’t comprehend what was going on when Leon shoved him into the car. He remembers a pain on his head; did he hit it?

He remembered hearing the stranger’s footsteps once he hit the ground, and—was Leon on the ground, too? Was that blood?

Eirik couldn’t process anything else before everything went dark.

**Author's Note:**

> The ending is up to interpretation, I’m sorry adnnfkf this story was actually supposed to end up light-hearted & involved HK attending Ice's uni to watch him but uh that obviously never happened, goD so I strongly apologize for how the 2nd half was written omfg


End file.
